Who Can You Trust?

Recent revelations of the widespread sexual abuse scandals have been disheartening. From the Catholic church, to Willow Creek, to many other less publicized events, the Church as a whole should be mourning the failures of our pastors, elders, and other leaders. Many thousands of people have been wounded either directly or indirectly by the sins of those in positions of authority.

Mark Galli has written of the misplaced loyalty that has led to churches covering up the accusations that arise. I agree with him completely, though I think that beneath that is a misplaced trust in those we hire to lead our churches. The idea of running background checks before hiring is, unfortunately, a fairly new concept. I would hazard a guess that a vast majority of the churches in our country have not done background checks on any of their staff. Added to that is the problem that those checks can only reveal legal actions taken, not accusations made. Reference checks can be helpful, but applicants will only provide references that they trust to say good things. Various denominational structures may make it either harder or easier to obtain unbiased information.

The fact is that sin is all too easy to cover up with minimal effort. It’s not as if we’re all walking around with a scarlet letter on our shirts revealing how we’ve sinned in the past. With the mobility of our culture, any of us can move to another state and start a new life where no one knows of our past indiscretions. It can be hard for pastors and parishioners to really get to know one another when there is constant turnover in church attendance and leadership. Even if a leader admits to prior sins, there is rarely any followup to make sure those sins were properly addressed and aren’t going to recur. In some cases, it’s a bit like putting an alcoholic in charge of the wine cellar.

So, long before accusations of sexual abuse or other misconduct become public, churches have already failed by creating a culture of misplaced trust that is further compounded by a lack of accountability. There seems to be a collective assumption that “If this person says God called him to ministry and he is willing to work for what we can pay, surely he can be trusted to do only what is right for our church members.” We are willfully ignorant of the weakness of sinful men and the deceitfulness of sin. We think that because Satan “prowls around like a roaring lion” (1 Pet. 5:8) that we’ll always be able to see him coming. We forget that “even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). We have a very real enemy who will try all kinds of subtle deceptions to cause people to sin and to discredit the work of the church. His efforts to undermine us are often more persistent and creative than our efforts to keep watch over ourselves and one another.

Russell Moore wrote in Acting the Miracle:

“If you see something, say something. That’s what you’ll see on signs everywhere in and around New York subway stations. These signs are part of a public campaign meant to encourage citizens to be on the watch for potential terrorists... Not a single terrorist has been caught as a result of this campaign... The problem, then, is that no one can call in and report suspicious activity because they don’t know what qualifies as suspicious. They don’t know what normal is supposed to look like.

“That’s not only true on the subway in New York City. Part of the obstacle that those of us in Christ face when it comes to growing in holiness is that we ourselves don’t know what normal looks like... And in the midst of all the fallenness around us, what seems to be perfectly normal can, in fact, be sinful. What seems to be perfectly normal, and in some cases even respectable, can be completely overlooked for the sin that it is, simply because one is living around so many other people who have similar sorts of slaveries and bondage to sin such that it doesn’t even seem abnormal” (107-108).

We overlook the sin in our own lives and disregard the possibility of sin in others, because compared to the rest of the world we look okay. We may not be perfect, but at least we aren’t blatantly sinning in ways that others can see. The Pharisees thought they looked pretty good too. Alistair Begg said on Truth for Life:

“No amount of isolation from the bad stuff or the bad people could protect them from the immorality and the idolatry of their own hearts. That is ultimately the folly of any kind of religious system that suggests that... The idea that somehow or another as long as I keep myself externally from the bad stuff and the bad people, I will be fine. Loved ones, we can take ourselves to the furthest point of the universe and lock ourselves in a closet, but we will not there be able to deal with the immorality and idolatry of our hearts” (9/19/18).

Although in Christ we are given new hearts, we still have to work out our sanctification day by day. It only takes one bad choice to make ourselves vulnerable to sin, and if we think that those in ministry are somehow free from temptation we are fools. Everyone needs accountability and church discipline to help us avoid sin and grow in holiness. Russell Moore went on to write,

“All too often, we express our outrage at everything going on ‘out there’ in the world and all the while ignore the wickedness in our own midst. And yet the discipline of the church is designed to reorient our lives and affections. The discipline of the church changes our mission, because it changes the way we see people... being diligent in spurring on toward obedience those who bear the name of brother, knowing that the church is called to love one another and form one another with the Word of truth. In the end, the discipline of the church drives us toward love, because the present of Jesus is in our midst by his Word and Spirit” (118).

If anything good can come out of the church leadership scandals that keep hitting the news, I hope that at least these three things will happen:

1) Make everyone more aware and cautious about trusting people without question. It’s not that we need to go on a witch hunt, but we need to take simple precautions to protect our churches and all who attend them.

2) Take church membership seriously. If we don’t know who “belongs” to our fellowship, how can we pursue the radical love, accountability, and confrontation that Scripture outlines?

3) Give the abused and wounded a voice to speak out. It shouldn’t require a news reporter to uncover someone’s sin. Within the Body of Christ every one of us should have people we know we can talk to who will listen to our story and respond faithfully.

Ultimately, this is not just about any particular church or individual—it’s about the glory of God. When anyone who bears the name of Christian acts in a way that is contrary to Scripture, they are obscuring the glory of God and casting doubt on God’s ability to save and sanctify.

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you [all] who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted” (Gal. 6:1).

© 2018 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Judgment Call

After the hurricane passed through this area I was talking with someone who commented, “God sure is unhappy with our country, isn’t He?” Since it wasn’t a person I know well, I didn’t want to get into a theological debate, but it did make me wonder about their beliefs. It is true that God has used natural disasters to bring judgment on people: the flood and the ten plagues are the first events that come to mind. Later the prophet Hosea told Israel:

“Because they have transgressed My covenant and rebelled against my law… For they sow the wind, and they reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour…” (8:1, 7 ESV).

Israel received physical consequences for their sin on multiple occasions and they were also rescued from other nations through a variety of manmade and natural events. However, I think there are some problems with applying that kind of logic to every natural disaster that comes along, even if the insurance companies do label them as “acts of God.”

1) Following the flood God said, “I establish My covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth… This [rainbow] is a sign of the covenant that I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth” (Genesis 9:11, 17). Some may argue that this refers only a global flood, not smaller floods. In any case, that flood was a unique occurrence of God’s judgment that will not be repeated.

2) The United States is not, and has never been, God’s chosen nation. Isaac blessed Jacob (Israel) by saying, “Let the peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you… Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blessed you” (Gen. 27:29). The “chosen nation” label applied only to Israel. Therefore we cannot interpret the events that happen here under the same principles by which the nation of Israel was cursed or blessed for their corporate actions.

3) In Job 1 and 2 we learn that it was only after God gave Satan permission to test Job that several disasters occurred. God Himself said of Job, “There is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil” (1:8), so obviously the events that followed were not a sign of judgment. When Job’s three friends tried to say it was God’s judgment on Job, they were the ones rebuked: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has” (42:7).

4) All of creation was impacted by sin as a result of the fall. “Cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life” (Gen. 3:17b). We shouldn’t expect to be spared from every natural disaster just because our faith is strong and we pray for protection. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons” (Romans 8:22-23).

Having said all that, God certainly can and does use all kinds of circumstances to awaken people to the brevity of life and their need for salvation. Psalm 33 has some great reminders:

“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; He puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him!” (6-8).

“The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples” (10).

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love, that He may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield” (18-20).

So was Hurricane Florence part of God’s judgment on the United States? I don’t think so. But it should remind us that there is coming a day of final judgment when there will be no more chances to repent and believe. May that motivate us to pray for unbelievers, share the gospel, and endeavor to glorify God in life and in death.

© 2018 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com.

Two Gardens

The following was influenced by this coming week’s Sunday school lesson from The Gospel Project.

It started in a garden: “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17 ESV). Adam and Eve knew the ground rules and the consequences.

But along came a question: “[The serpent] said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden”? …You will not surely die…’ She took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:1-6). Doubt and disobedience entered into the picture.

The result was separation from fellowship with God: “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord… But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’” (Genesis 3:8-9). The consequences still impact us today.

But years later in another garden, another man made a different decision. Jesus knew what was coming: “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and He will be raised on the third day” (Matthew 20:18-19).

He faced the same choice—to trust God’s plan or to seek His own way: “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). His choice also created separation from the Father, but it was temporary. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34). Through His death, He reversed the consequences that came out of the first garden. “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Hebrews 2:14-15). He made the way for us to be restored to the original relationship God desires with His children.

In our natural, fleshly way we’ve all chosen the strategy of the first garden, seeking something more than what God has promised. But in Christ we are enabled to choose obedience even when it is hard. “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it” (Luke 9:23-24).

We can often get the idea that the Christian life is supposed to be easy. I wish it were easier, but Jesus said it was a daily choice to pick up the cross, not a daily picnic. Because of that first garden experience, life has been filled with toil, conflict, and pain. That part won’t be relieved in this lifetime, but we have the choice to do it God’s way or our own way each day. Which way will you choose today?

“Choose this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

© 2018 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com.

Worth It All

Three authors I’ve read recently have said similar things:

“He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you” (Max Lucado, And the Angels Were Silent, 155).

“To lose us was too great a pain for God to bear, and so he took it upon himself to rescue us” (John Eldredge, Waking the Dead, 61).

“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2 ESV).

Have you ever thought about the fact that the joy of granting us salvation and reconciliation to God made the cross bearable for Jesus? He endured hours of unimaginable torture in order to give us eternal life. God didn’t have to give us the ability to choose sin, but He did. God didn’t have to send His Son to die for us, but He did. God could have left us as mortal creatures with just one short life to follow Him.

Dennis Jernigan wrote:

“He gave His Son, Jesus, to bear the punishment and pay the debt we owed because of our sin. He rose that we might rise from the death of sin in our own lives. He gave us a free will and man sinned. It is we who separated ourselves from God. He did not separate Himself from us. We are the lost ones. He is the One Who finds us!” (Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Sept. 7).

If I were God, I don’t think I would have done it this way. I would probably have made a perfect paradise from the beginning and skipped all the drama of sin and redemption. I have to assume that God’s plan maximizes the glory He receives. Perfect, sinless creatures have their place, but they can’t express gratitude for salvation if they have nothing to be saved from. As the old song says, Amazing Grace is one song the angels cannot sing.

I don’t know why He did it like He did, though as one of the creatures in this fallen world I’m certainly glad that this is not the end of our story. I can’t begin to fathom a love that says, “This is the perfect way to create this world. All this pain and trouble will be worth it all just so My chosen people can be made worthy to dwell with Me forever.” Somehow, in His sovereign wisdom, God decided this was the best plan. All we can do is give thanks.

“How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings” (Psalm 36:7).

“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! …Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever” (Rev. 7:10, 12).

© 2018 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com.